WaterNSW unveils 20-year rural infrastructure options

WaterNSW unveils 20-year rural infrastructure options

06
June
2018

WaterNSW has developed a 20-year infrastructure options study for the state’s major rural river valleys to address future challenges in operating regulated river systems, with potential to enhance service levels and guide future investment.

The WaterNSW study outlines options for improving services by further developing its multi-billion dollar infrastructure network, which currently includes 42 major dams, hundreds of weirs, pipelines and Australia’s largest surface and groundwater monitoring network across 30 regulated rivers.

This strategy seeks to address long-term trends, developments and impacts, such as population growth, technological innovation, demand fluctuations, variability in the agriculture and mining sectors, climate change effects on water availability, and customers’ changing needs and expectations regarding current and future levels of service.

A strategic asset framework for bulk water supply systems in NSW is vital to meeting these challenges. This has driven the 20-year infrastructure strategy as WaterNSW seeks to provide long-term solutions and development of key assets.

Existing policies, regulatory requirements, asset capabilities and past and current system performance have been assessed and options developed to meet these issues.

WaterNSW CEO David Harris said the plan is the first of its type in over 40 years for regional NSW water infrastructure, and it establishes a blueprint for the future operational landscape facing the business.

“The intention of this project was to explore in detail potential issues and opportunities facing WaterNSW; and to understand our customers’ expectations and needs as far as current and future levels of service may be concerned,” Mr Harris said.

“When it comes to our next IPART bulk water pricing submissions, the content of this strategy will provide high-value context for customer communication and consultation, and identify the customers’ preferred infrastructure options to mitigate long-term water supply issues in their valley for further detailed investigation and development.

“This analysis will also provide a context for rational, long-term decision-making by all levels of Government and WaterNSW, helping to target and prioritise long-term bulk water supply infrastructure investments that meet broader Government policy objectives, regional growth strategies and future customer needs.

“This strategy is not a capital investment plan, but rather a baseline from which to guide future decision making and benchmark future investments.

“As such, it identifies infrastructure options to address challenges facing the state and captures opportunities to improve service offerings in the long-term support of customers, their businesses and for the communities in which we operate.”